Graphene and Flexible Substrates

An international team of researchers reports on a new polymer-free technique for the fabrication of transparent flexible substrates using graphene. Graphene is a unique 2D material that has shown to have amazing properties which include high intrinsic carrier mobility, tunable band gap, high mechanical strength and elasticity, and superior thermal conductivity, among others. Such unique characteristics make graphene a potential material for many applications, for example its implementation for high-speed transistors, energy/thermal management and chemical/biological sensors.

In order to fully exploit the properties of this materials, previous studies have been devoted to understanding how it can be transferable to a wide variety of substrates. Several methods have been developed toward this goal and the most commonly used method is a polymer-assisted transfer process called ‘wet-transfer’. Now, the drawback of this process is that it leaves residues on the substrate, which depose a significant challenge to the fabrication process since it affects the graphene’s electrical and mechanical properties.

In a recent study published in 2D Materials, ICFO researchers Miriam Marchena, Manuel Fernandez, Tong Lai Chen, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Valerio Pruneri, in collaboration with researchers led by Dr. Prantik Mazumder and Dr. Robert Lee from Corning Research and Development Corporation, have demonstrated for the first time the direct transfer of graphene from Cu foil to rigid and flexible substrates, such as glass and PET, using as an intermediate layer of thin film of polyimide (PI) mixed with an aminosilane, a process that leaves the substrate free of residues.

With this technique, the team of scientists has obtained as a result a transparent device, thermally stable (350 °C) and free of polymer residue on the device side of the graphene. Their technique is the first step towards making a substrate ready for device fabrication.

The results of the study open a new window toward the use of graphene in the development of devices that can be made smaller and faster when compared to the actual silicon based devices that are beginning to show capability limitations.

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Rested and refreshed, delegates returned to the conference room for the second day of the 2020 EIPC Winter Conference in Blijdorp, Rotterdam, South Holland. Pete Starkey provides an overview of the presentations and activities from Day 2.

Alex Stepinski gives an update on GreenSource, their acquisition of AWP, and their move to full production after some delays. Barry Matties and Alex also discuss automation and the difficulties in hiring in the U.S. and announces the decision to go to market with their recycling equipment in 2020.

Recently, Barry Matties had the chance to visit Ventec International Group’s German facility in Kirchheimbolanden (KIBO), where he met Frank Lorentz, Ventec’s general manager for the location. Logistics are clearly Frank’s passion. He lives and breathes it. If you spend any amount of time with him, that is abundantly clear. This interview with Frank was conducted after a tour of the KIBO site.

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Graphene and Flexible Substrates

An international team of researchers reports on a new polymer-free technique for the fabrication of transparent flexible substrates using graphene. Graphene is a unique 2D material that has shown to have amazing properties which include high intrinsic carrier mobility, tunable band gap, high mechanical strength and elasticity, and superior thermal conductivity, among others. Such unique characteristics make graphene a potential material for many applications, for example its implementation for high-speed transistors, energy/thermal management and chemical/biological sensors.

In order to fully exploit the properties of this materials, previous studies have been devoted to understanding how it can be transferable to a wide variety of substrates. Several methods have been developed toward this goal and the most commonly used method is a polymer-assisted transfer process called ‘wet-transfer’. Now, the drawback of this process is that it leaves residues on the substrate, which depose a significant challenge to the fabrication process since it affects the graphene’s electrical and mechanical properties.

In a recent study published in 2D Materials, ICFO researchers Miriam Marchena, Manuel Fernandez, Tong Lai Chen, led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Valerio Pruneri, in collaboration with researchers led by Dr. Prantik Mazumder and Dr. Robert Lee from Corning Research and Development Corporation, have demonstrated for the first time the direct transfer of graphene from Cu foil to rigid and flexible substrates, such as glass and PET, using as an intermediate layer of thin film of polyimide (PI) mixed with an aminosilane, a process that leaves the substrate free of residues.

With this technique, the team of scientists has obtained as a result a transparent device, thermally stable (350 °C) and free of polymer residue on the device side of the graphene. Their technique is the first step towards making a substrate ready for device fabrication.

The results of the study open a new window toward the use of graphene in the development of devices that can be made smaller and faster when compared to the actual silicon based devices that are beginning to show capability limitations.